XBOX One & The Day One Patch

I rarely talk about gaming on my blog anymore, if at all, because it's been pretty dead. If we aren't talking about the actual titles coming out; conversations about consoles get really, really boring & annoying - quickly. 

Microsoft vs. Sony vs. PC Gaming.

I recently read an article that focused on an interview with Microsoft's senior director of product management, Albert Penello.

He was basically asked what Xbox users could do with and without the Day One Update and he said users "will be able to do very little without taking the day one update." As a matter of fact, he said that without it... we can't do anything at all.

So what does this really mean? 
Well, if you're as broke as I am - you're fucked.
I spent most of my Xbox 360 run WITHOUT Xbox Live. I couldn't afford to get a year's worth of Gold while I was in school... then I couldn't afford Gold when I got my own apartment either. When they started games with Gold, I got XBL a little more often because I was excited about some of the games I could never actually afford to buy when they first came out. Despite having them downloaded, installed to my device, & under my Gamertag; when I ran out of Gold - I couldn't even touch most of those damn games.

When you're getting an Xbox One, you just purchased a console that doesn’t work out of the box. Not working as in - no apps and NO GAMES -_-. Not only does it not work out of the box but there's a large chance that you won't be able to get it to work in 24hrs or several days. This goes for people who don't have internet connection to download the patch, but also people who DO have the internet; why? Well, the way the internet is set up, that much traffic (this is just my own estimate) from millions of people trying to download the same exact thing at the same time will have the same issue that Rockstar faced when they launched GTAOnline - too many people and servers going down.

Sony isn’t doing much better.
Sony’s restrictions on media on the PS4 and charging for online play when last generation the PS3 could play all kinds of media and you could play online for free doesn't actually make me shy completely away from the Xbox One. I mean; if you're addicted to RPG's - by all means, PS4 might still be the console for you. I've never really been to much of a big PlayStation fan after PS2, to be quite honest - so I don't care.

I'm a Nintendo girl at heart and they're almost completely out of this argument. Nintendo just works. Yes, they rehash some old titles. YES, they make new games out of old franchise characters. I will admit that using the WiiMote for Skyward Sword was a little, eh, BUT they went for it! It was innovation. Currently, they don't have a crazy amount of titles out for the WiiU but they have focus on specific games, like Wind Waker HD, that have proven they have the ability to give games longevity. Also, we're not even gonna talk about the Thrid Party Titles that are right around the corner (*cough, cough* Bayonetta 2 *cough*). I'm not even sure if the WiiU is categorized as a next gen console since it came out sooooo early but look at all their 3DS titles and how they came out with the 2DS. Nintendo is constantly finding ways to expand and meet the needs of their consumers. You might have thought the 2DS was dumb; I thought it was a good idea with Black Friday and Christmas coming up... an already cheap handheld becoming cheaper that can play all of the 3DS games? GENIUS. Nintendo's partnership with Square Enix for the game Bravely Default? They have so many of the right cards in their hands currently.

I feel like this is becoming a ramble, so let's end this here.

What's my verdict?

If you can afford a gaming PC - buy one or build one. If you’re on a budget - get a 2DS/3DS... or just stick to your current consoles. Xbox 360 still has 100 titles coming out in the future; not sure about PS3.

I'm excited to Preorder my A Link Between Two Worlds 3DS XL, which drops the same day as Xbox One - Nov. 22nd. (PS4 comes out Nov.15th).

Thanks For Reading!

Inori Senpai~ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥

Do you ever just search the web and stumble upon something amazing accidentally?

Yea, well that happened to me today on YouTube. I was looking at all kinds of gijinka, cosplay, fanart, blah blah blah based around the internet. Alot of it was work by Jonn-Lock, but some of it was other random Tumblr users linked to speedpaint videos on YouTube. There was a Crunchyroll girl, Tumblr guy, some Google kids, and then... one I've never seen: A really kawaii Internet Explorer girl by the name of Inori Aizawa. I mean, she's sooooooo cute.

Despite being really cute, she has some badass qualities to her that make her a "hero". I don't wanna spoil much because I think the brilliant animation of this quick video speaks for itself but the summary reads, "The dark side of the Internet can be a dangerous and scary place. Will our heroine be able to survive?"

No, this isn't fan art or even fan made - it's from THE REAL PEOPLE OF MICROSOFT.
It was made by Microsoft Singapore to celebrate Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2013! 

Embedding isn't allowed so you can just click here.

Also check out her Facebook Page!

Inori Aizawa

Born	August 16, 1995
Gender	Female
Personal Information	HEIGHT: 1.62 m WEIGHT: ??? HOROSCOPE: Leo BLOOD TYPE: A+ RELATIONSHIPS: Hikaru's cousin; close friends with Nanami, Yuu and Ai.
Personal Interests	LIKES: Surfing the Internet, HTML5, karaoke, cats, mint-flavored ice cream DISLIKES: Malware, online bullies

(If that birthday looks familiar; dude - that's when Internet Explorer first debuted to the public!)

They really went all out for this character and I appreciate it. I mean, nobody really uses Internet Explorer... most people are hooked on Chrome but as a "promo" this could definitely bring back some old users and new users to see what all the excitement is about. I mean, look at this post made from the Facebook page:

It's a clever marketing scheme imo. The link says download but it loops right back to the Facebook page with this cute, chibi reminder:

The kicker is the little "Not Convinced" link. From what they are saying, the new Internet Explorer will be faster than Chrome but also much safer. Do I doubt any of this? No. I'm not saying IT WILL live up to these standards but Internet Explorer has been in the shitter for a while. With the Xbox One coming out soon, Windows Phones, All of the touch tablets, and Windows 8 - I think it's safe to say that fixing up Internet Explorer and optimizing it to run smoothly with Microsoft's own devices and software is a smart move. I mean - You're running Windows 8 but launching up Chrome? *head scratching* If they can pull this off, which.... I don't know why it would be so difficult, this could be big. 

I don't really know stuff about technology though. I stick to phone specs and maybe tablets at most. Everything outside of that is foreign to me lol.

Thanks for Reading!

Crunchyroll MANGA

Last week, I heard about Crunchyroll deciding to add manga to their website. How? Well Crunchyroll has partnered with Kodansha! I was soooooo excited but I really kinda... forgot (oops...) with all the Halloween festivities happening, but thanks to Twitter - I found out that it opened today!

It's not much there, but I'm sure that in the coming future they will add much, much more to their archive. Who am I kidding, though? They have enough there for you! Titles include: Attack on Titan, Space Brother's, FairyTail, Mysterious Girlfriend X, Fort of Apocalypse, and more. Some of these are from currently airing anime's or anime's that just ended a season like Attack on Titan, so you can get your fix until the next season airs!

For Free Users - only the newest chapters will be available; ads will be there.
Premium Users - Recent Chapters, ad free, Back Catalog for each manga - Chapter 1 to the most recent chapter.

The best part - WE WILL BE GETTING THESE CHAPTERS THE SAME DAY AS JAPAN!

If you're like me... this is great. You get manga the same day as Japan, you get to support the company's, and you get quality translations.

I can't stress enough how a shitty translation by fans can sometimes completely ruin my experience, because I have to go on another site and try to find a better version & by then, I'm slightly annoyed. (I mean, you get used to it, but you know...)

The only downfall I see of this is, many manga sites run by fan translators may get shut down because... that's basically pirating. Most sites are going by the "Fair Use Clause". I hope it doesn't happen anywhere in the near future because Crunchyroll only has 12 titles up. I only really read 3 of these titles so... yea.

Here are the titles if you are interested!

“Attack on Titan” by Hajime Isayama

A dramatic action-adventure where humans must battle mysterious giants for survival. Currently one of Japan’s most popular manga, it has recently inspired a hit anime streaming on Crunchyroll now.

“Fairy Tail” by Hiro Mashima

A guild of wizards-for-hire use their skills in an age of magic and wonder.This ongoing manga series, created by Hiro Mashima, has also been adapted into a popular anime series.

“Space Brothers” by Chuya Koyama

Award-winning manga about two siblings struggling to fulfill their childhood dreams to become astronauts. Inspired an anime series now streaming on Crunchyroll as well as a live-action movie.

“UQ Holder!” by Ken Akamatsu

From the creator of “Negima!” comes this fantasy set in a future where the existence of magic has transformed the world and a boy named Tota must leave his home village on the path of adventure.

“Mysterious Girlfriend X” by Riichi Ueshiba

A tale of addiction and lovesickness revolving around a strange bond between classmates Urabe and Tsubaki. Also inspired a popular anime series.

“A Town Where You Live” by Kouji Seo

School, relationships, and comedy are combined in this manga about a girl who moves from the city to the countryside.

“Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches” by Miki Yoshikawa

Two students – a boy and a girl – unexpectedly swap bodies and must uncover the secrets of the “Seven Witches” at their school, who each possess a different power. Recently adapted into a TV drama.

“As the Gods Will - The Second Series” by Muneyuki Kaneshiro (story) & Akeji Fujimura (art)

What seems like just another boring day at school becomes a deadly and surreal game, and student Shun Takahata must find out who is behind it.

“My Wife is Wagatsuma-san” by Yuu Kuraishi (story) & Keishi Nishikida (art)

One day, a girlfriend-less student wakes up 10 years in the future to discover he is married to the prettiest girl in school. How did it happen and where is their relationship going?

“Fort of Apocalypse” by Yuu Kuraishi (story) and Kazu Inabe (art)

Accused of a crime he did not commit, a young boy is sentenced to life in prison only to find himself at the center of an outbreak of zombies!

“COPPELION” by Tomonori Inoue

20 years after a nuclear meltdown devastates Tokyo, three girls who were genetically engineered to be immune to radiation are sent into the mysterious disaster area to search for survivors.

“The Seven Deadly Sins” by Nakaba Suzuki

In this comedic fantasy adventure, a princess goes on a quest to reassemble a disbanded group of knights when her kingdom is taken over by the evil Holy Knights.

Thanks For Reading!

Beyond The Boundary | First Impressions

So, the Fall 2013 anime season has begun and the first show of the season I've started watching is Beyond the Boundary; which just aired on Oct. 2, 2013. WARNING: There may be light SPOILERS.

I have watched 3 episodes of this anime (the fourth episode was released today) and to be honest... I had to rewatch it because I was sooooo confused. Maybe I'm just dumb, but it really felt like they rushed into the story and kinda just threw information at me that I had to piece together on my own.

Guess what? Anime adaptation of a manga that only has 3 volumes (light novel) and... the show is getting 13 episodes. Go figure. THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING. >_<

Episode One

Akihiito, a high school sophomore, is doing his normal routine one day when he suddenly stunned by the sight of a young girl who appears to be on the verge of suicide via jumping from the roof of the school. He says he normally wouldn't do this kind of thing; but he runs upp there and attempts at talking her down - where we learn about his glasses fetish. He says, "Anyone who looks as good in glasses as you do SHOULD NOT DIE!"

He saved her... but uhm, she doesn't seem to want much of his help. She stabs him with her blood sword!

Being Half Youmu/Human makes Akihito immortal!

This show is masked like a typical high school drama.
Throughout this episode we are thrown hints that these seemingly normal, human students have some form of a supernatural second life. Their world is far from normal.
Soon after Akihito saves Mirai, shit starts to pop off. Mirai explains to him that she is a Spirit World Warrior (which there are many of in this world) but she is the last surviving member of her clan - People with a curse that allows them to manipulate their blood [which she uses as a sword]. 

Spirit World Warriors kill Youmu to protect people but also to make a living. The Youmu souls are captured in stone that they get appraised and turn in for cash. (Mirai needs it, she's pretty... poor.)

I'm usually not really drawn to Supernatural/Fantasy anime's but the art style of this show really caught my eye. It's visually beautiful; especially the opening and ending credits. The action scenes are so much fun to watch  because the camera angles give you a good sense of scale and the moves are dynamic.

This episode was filled with alot of cheerfulness, cute moments and action that give hints to a darker and more serious plot.

Tell me I'm not the only one who thought Mirai looked like Yui?

Pros & Cons All Jumbled Up

• Beautiful art and animation style.
• Amazing OST
• Interesting character personalities | Mirai is very introverted and timid. She expresses fear during fights but is an excellent swordsman. Akihito is very laid back and kind hearted but his obsessesion with Girls in Glasses is absolutely comical; when I say obsession... I mean fetish.
• Akihito is lightly cliche... actually a few of the characters other than Mirai have very predictable personalities.
• Fast paced
• Mirai's ability kinda reminds me of Deadman Wonderland's, Ganta.
• Some humor & moe
• Comfortable balance between lightheartedness and seriousness
• Slightly confusing when you factor in the fact that Youmu, Humans, and Spirit World Warriors all live together. Youmu are classified by their alliance or aggression against others. Some look like monsters (more aggressive)  and others look like humans (alliance).

Overall, I plan on watching this because the middle to end of Episode 3 shed light on Mirai's background which explains partially what happened to her clan, why she is so introverted, and what made her fear battles which really cleared up much of the confusion I felt while watching this ANDDDDDD well... massive battle coming into Episode 4! I'm excited for some action and characterization. I'm not gonna touch on any of the other characters and what not because I don't wanna spoil it. Please give it a watch; at the very least - the animation itself is worth it!

Underground Comic Con

So... a few days ago, while I'm at work, my mom sends me this picture saying, "Hey, do you wanna go?"

I thought, "How cute, my mom is actually trying to be involved in my interests for once. You know what? I'm going because we might not have this opportunity again".

I know you're like, uhm... why not?

Well, Underground Comic Con is held in Wilmington, DE.

If you're from Delaware, you know that anything that reeks "fun" or "excitement" gets shut down, damn near, immediately.

...

Anyway; I've never been to anything "comic" related. I've been to 2 anime conventions in the past but never a comic convention because... I'm not really into comics for the stories - I just like the art.

To say the least, for something so small (probably because it was free), I was completely blown away!

90% of the authors and artists in attendance were POC. That's unheard of!

Everybody was so kind and encouraging. I really wish I was more prepared beforehand.There was so many prints and merch to be bought, there was a cute little cosplay competition, and I was ill prepared for EVERYTHING. For the most part, cash vs. credit was the issue - having the money via plastic but needing cash sucked soooo bad, because there were many prints that I looked forward to purchasing and I'd love to support all of the projects I witnessed but unfortunately, I'm a lazy, 20 year old, girl. I wasn't gonna go out of my way to hit an ATM tbh. Though, I did make sure to pick up everybody's business card, visit their sites, and follow or 'like' every page.

I would put up the cosplay pics but they actually came out worse than I thought... which sucks. Oh well.

Though everyone there gave me vital and useful pieces of advice, I was really intrigued after conversing with Shawn Alleyne. I'm gonna guess that it's because it's easier for me to relate to people in my age range. To keep this post short, I want to end by saying thank you - I appreciated your kind words, advice, and encouragement. I've actually been in the process of writing my own story but as much as I would like to work on the art for it; I suck. I don't mean that in a "I'm actually good but I don't see my art as good," kinda way ... I mean I still can't draw HANDS. Telling me to chase my dreams and not being cheesy about it while including your own personal story really helped to pull me out of a artistic block and an emotional rut.

I love everybody's art skill and stories pretty much the same but Shawn's story really grabbed my attention. This is the type of story I wanna read. This is the type of story I've thought about but nobody seems interested to write about. A comic with a BAD ASS, female protagonist with some hate in her heart? It felt like he basically took my essence, created me in a fictional world. It might sound like a pure fangasm (which it kinda is), but I was really, REALLY, loving his ideas and art so I bought as much as I could without breaking my bank account lol.

I bought a sketchbook & the dopest print from him. No regrets! Getting my print framed this weekend ^_^

For more information on other artists' who attended as well as their contact information or websites, just visit http://undergroundcomiccon.com/ because... I'm tired & it's almost 1am & I should sleep nao.

Thanks for reading!

I GOT GTAV!

I preordered my copy of GTAV last year so... I've been ready for this since they said Coming Spring 2013 & then pushed this game back. I'm so excited!

So, I found out that (of course) the mall I did my preorder at participated in the midnight release of the game. I was soooooo fucking excited. But then I remembered my mom's friend went out of town, so she had to go pick her up & give the lady her car back & blah blah blah... so I offered to drive my mom's car while she drove her friend's car, then just take her to the release with me. No, no no. My mom goes, "Oh no - I have plans". I started to panic. Of course I could just get the game on the next day, but how exciting is that? 

IT'S NOT.

Turns out, because of my mom's friend having a late train - she ruined her plans for the night. So even though it was a little late, I wound up actually still going, just getting there at 1am. I bullshit you not, maybe my state sucks or something but NO ONE WAS THERE... or maybe everybody went early? Who cares?! It was swift & easy (other than trying to find which door in the mall was open...).

About the game
(this is all my gameplay with Franklin btw)
Installation: Everybody was basically saying install it on a flash drive because installing it on your hard drive is probably gonna make the game all choppy & laggy - I haven't run into that problem yet. Actually my only problem isn't even with the game: I have a small ass TV & I can't read the words on the menus or the pop up hints lol

Map Size: Anywho, I've actually only done 2 of the Story Mode missions; I've been exploring the city & the sea - this map is fucking huge & I'm not just saying that because they did. When you buy a physical copy, you get a poster, like always, but this one is different. Remember how it would be a cool game poster on one side & a map on the other? Well BOTH SIDES of this poster is 2 different maps. HOLY. SHIT. I can even give you my own testimony: I was walking around interacting with NPCs, some guy started bashing me, so I shit talked him, he pulled out a knife and stabbed me so I grabbed a car & drove off.. when I got out a cop started shit talking me so I punched him! When I ran away... I ran into a sewer off of the highway. I GOT FRICKIN LOST IN THE SEWERS! I could not find my fucking way out at all, everywhere I turned was different arcitecture & detail - no running around in circles. I just killed myself to get out lol.

Detail: Which brings me to another cool part of the game; it's attention to even the smallest of details. When I got lost in that sewer - I saw rats. I know you're like, so the fuck what? How many games have sewer rats? But I could lock on and shoot these rats one by one, each had a different little sound when they died & even had blood puddles liek when you kill NPCs. That shit blew me away. Or when people attack you - no more pulling weapons out of thin air, you can visibly see them taking a gun out by pushing their jacket back, reaching into their pants where you can see the handle sticking out & pulling it in front of them. How about the strippers? Yes, they're back but they have better costumes with elaborate details in the corsets or even just the bikini like outfits. They're show real boob in this game with realistic nipples, areolas, & even veins and stretch marks under the boob. Last but not least, you can smoke a blunt & get high but it's better than that San Andreas PC mod (you know the one, that gave you weed in Ryder's backyard?) It makes the world look so fluffy & luminescent, it's actually rather pretty.

NPCs: Pay close attention to these guys. Their conversations, whether it's with each other or on the cellphone, are longer than ever. They say things that you wouldn't even expect. I walked up to a girl & said 'How you doing, pretty lady?' Do you know what she said back? "Well, I'm pretty shitty - my boss is a bitch, I'm on my lunch break & I have to get done an entire script in an hour so I'm doing pretty FUCKIN bad!" At first I was like, well excuse me, but then I realized... she was just speaking so random jargon... how she responded was actually relevant to what I asked her. I looooooove this about the game. No random talking but real conversations.

Wanted Level: I'm still getting used to this. It's weird. I shit-talked a cop & got 3 stars. I thought that was kinda excessive lol, I didn't even hit him. Also, you know this if you played Bully (Another Rockstar title), the way the cops work is attraction through visibility. For example, you have a wanted level and they cover the who'll radar basically saying the cops are after you. If you lay low, the radar is no longer covered but you see red dots (specific cops) with cones out in front of them that can vary in size (this is the radius of their vision depending on how'wanted' you are). Yea, it eventually goes away but it's hard as hell. You can see the stars about to flash off then one cop will drive by & it'll be a full on chase all over again. No bueno pero it's fun.

Well, that's all I really have for now. Just thought I'd share my first look. I actually only played this from 1a,m to about 4:30 - I'm on my way to actually play some REAL missions now instead of just exploring the map lol. Maybe I'll post some of that up later?

Thanks for reading!

MANGA | Fasting by Kazuo Umezu/Hisashi Eguchi

I know that it's still Mid-September but I've gotten the Halloween itch! I love, love, love everything horror, spooky, suspense, gore, thriller, etc and I'm probably gonna share all of my finds here because, why not?

So, anyway - I found a horror manga recently: Hisashi Eguchi’s short manga remake of Kazuo Umezu’s Fasting (絶食)!

I literally found this by accident; I was just browsing around the internet for some new reads (I recently just read Oyasumi PunPun from beginning to the most recent chapter and... I didn't know what to do once I reached the end and it said The Finale Coming This Winter). At first I thought it was just... a manga about eating disorders but then I saw Kazuo Umezu & I knew it might not be exactly what I thought lol. I mean, Umezu is well known for his horror manga. So, without spoiling anything - have this short manga remake (it's an online read not a download link)!

Fasting

^^^Click It^^^
Thanks for Reading!

I'm Slacking | OOTD

I haven't been blogging as much as I've been thinking about blogging. Sounds pretty dumb... because it is.WELL, I'll use this post to catch things up a bit.These past few days have been "eventful". Other than managing things with my job and possibly arranging a job transfer between states soon and getting things organized for school... I've finally gotten back into my work out regime! I've already lost 6lbs thus far and... that's exactly how much weight I gained since I moved back in with my mom lol. So... it's not much but, I'm okay with that. I workout mostly to tone my body anyway; I actually like my shape. I have a very, very curvy kind of video vixen shape... I just have some really annoying & embarrassing looking cellulite that makes it look.. gross.

Remember how I cut my hair before? Yea, well... I cut it again - I reduced my hair length on the back & sides to something uncombable and I left the top long... and I DYED IT RED! It's not a really crazy, Ronald McDonald red because I reallyyyyyy didn't think that would look good. It's actually my first time permanently dying my hair; prior to this, I did semi permanent colors or spray colors. Have some annoying selfies and outfit pics: 

This shirt is from MuchNeededMerch.storenvy.com

Thanks for Reading!

WUT IZ DIS?!

If you didn't know, the official announcement and confirmation of the Sims 4 was released today at the EA Gamescom Conference.  I am sooooooo frickin' excited. About a week or so ago, I saw some leaked photos of the game and I wasn't quite sure if I should believe that it was real or not, but what I saw was directly from this footage (crazy!). Today, I learned that this new Sims game is based around the emotions of our Sims. Certain activities, social interactions and even home decor can create an effect on a Sims emotions.  I'm thrilled to see, based on the return of Maxis, that the Sims has come back to a more cartoonish game design. I did like the psudeo-realism but this almost feels nostalgic, reminding me of my Sims 2 after school shenanigans.  I must say, I am in loooooove with what they did for the build mode. It looks as if they took the blueprint update from the Sims 3 and modified it into something more free and adjustable - they really thought about us while making this game. I'm also impressed by the new Create-A-Sim [CAS]. In the previous Sims game, I didn't have too much of an issue with the CAS, except for trying to manipulate faces the way I wanted... mainly nose and lips, so I wound up making all of my Sims have the same nose and lips but with minor tweaks with make up or custom content.  All in all, I'm totally excited for this game and I'm glad I'll have GTAV, Saints Row IV, ACNL, and a few other games to hold me over until 2014 Thanks for Reading!

RANT | Closedminded People

If you haven't had a chance yet, now would be a good time to go to my YouTube and check out my latest video. It's a vlog involving my thoughts and opinions about closed minded people... well, it's mostly a rant because I had the weirdest, most annoying, experience the other day and I wanted to share. Here's a link and video. Be sure to check out my other videos, comment, rate & subscribe! Thanks for reading!

Heroes of Cosplay | EPIC FAIL?

Just watched Episode 1 of Heroes of Cosplay so I could formulate an opinion on my own outside of the masses upon masses of cosplayers and otaku in an uproar. So far I've heard good and bad reviews but most of the feedback revolving around this show is just... terrible. Otaku and "normal" people alike are not really feeling this show.
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So... let's start with the website.
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Episode Overview Given By SyFy

I wanted to see what the general public thought about this show because I follow and network with A LOT of cosplayers on a daily basis... actually I network with a lot of Otaku, Gamers, and people of Geek Culture in general, so I rarely have the opportunity to hear opinions from the greater population. I honestly try to stay away from it because I've found that many "normal" people have these very bias and judgemental opinions that don't actually have a root for their dislike or their root is very... weak to say the least. Just saying, "That's weird", "That's dumb", or "That's for kids, isn't it"? Is not enough for me. 

ANYWAY, my search of episode opinions was got sidetracked by some absolute BULLSHIT - the Heroes of Cosplay Episode One write up. The episode overview is just... bad. When you head to the official website for anything, you expect clean and concise explanations with little to no personal input but this entire blurb is the complete opposite. I'm convinced that they, literally, got somebody to watch the episode then hired them as a freelance author for very cheap. Not only is this article poorly done but whoever wrote it made their conversational tone too overwhelming for me to swallow and it pretty much sounded like they were criticizing the people in show (Specifically Victoria/Jinyo and the hobby in general - clearly shown in the little comment, "Becky acknowledges that cosplay is "a really expensive hobby," so cash prizes make a difference. Or switching to reading books from the library, but we suppose it's a bit late to suggest that as an alternative.") more than actually explaining the details of the episode. All I have to say is: Fuck you for wasting my time by explaining the episode overloaded by your snarky comments, lame humor, and personal opinion.
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The Comments

I'm not extremely surprised by many of the comments I saw. It's weird how the general public glorifies geek culture but when they're faced with REAL GEEKS, we're shunned completely with the always fun public & anonymous internet bashing. Many people, like me, came for the beauty and craft of Yaya Han. Some of the comments seem like people were interested in what cosplay is... then this show almost solidified that all geeks are crazy weirdos to them, which blows. Here's an example of comments of 2 completely different sides of the spectrum:

No, I don't block out names. I have no fucks to give.

Why the second guy thought it was necessary to bring up his past experience with Victoria to make some irrelevant point, I don't know. I mean seriously, how many years ago was that? People change and if you weren't talking to her or vis versa... chances are, your "observation" of her personality we completely self made. Whatever. You get my point.
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My Show Review

Short Opinion: I don't love it, but I do like it.

Longer Opinion: People, especially cosplayers and Otaku, are not giving this show a chance. Yaya Han said it best at the beginning of the episode, Cosplay is evolving from a subculture into pop culture. To cosplayers and otaku - this is your own doing. Taking cosplay and using it as a popularity contest to get more followers to know your face and name with the hopes of being a model or promoting your business will, indeed, begin to generate attention.

Cosplays introduction to the general public... shouldn't have been this. This show is mostly geared toward the competition and cosplay aspects of cosplay but honestly speaking, that's only 20% of the cosplay community. Most cosplayer's are normal people (mom's, dad's, children, college kids, and teens alike) who pull together things they have in there house and buy a few supplies here and there to build a decent costume. They save up every paycheck between their family or friends to get badges and split hotel costs. They carpool or ride the bus to a con with a little luggage because they're gonna meet up with someone they haven't seen in a while. They packed a costume, but they also packed some normal clothes (probably nerd merch) to walk around the artists alley or hit up the game room. They might've even made or bought a outfit for the nightly raves.

This is only episode one, but first impressions are everything. They neglected to show you that cosplay is cosPLAY; it's all about having fun. It's a hobby for most; this is showing people who LIVE cosplay. All of the people they showed on this episode are established cosplayers who have turned in the 9 to 5 to become costumers or professional cosplay models and even prop crafters. Not to say none of this stuff aired is a true account of cosplay, because it probably is... for them, but it's not a true to life account of the cosplay community and otaku culture for the greater population. It's not relatable and it kinda gives cosplay a bad name.
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EDIT: Cosplay is supposed to be artistic, self expression, & creative individuality and now it's like a cheesy popularity contest (and that's WITHOUT the help of this show). Most people don't even give a shit about geek culture; it's just a gateway for their business ventures which is making the art die slowly. Remember "Fake Geek Girls"? Yea, they're mainly the reason why cosplay is beginning to fall. I'm not gonna tag the girls who are doing it, but I know  a handful PERSONALLY. If you wanna read more about the topic, I suggest you read Victoria's Blogpost because she literally says everything I've ever wanted to say but could never find the words to. Also... I encourage you to read the comments. Seriously.
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I'm not at all surprised by the outcome of this episode in comparison to all the other shows on TV nowadays. Everything on TV now is scripted reality filled with drama and competition - America's Next Top Model, Iron Chef, Big Brother, Project Runway, Ink Master. If you have a talent or skill and can do it well, chances are somebody else thinks the same thing and just your luck - there's a TV show for that who wants to dangle money in front of your head with hopes that you'll verbally or physically rip someone to pieces and generate more viewers. Admit it: America has become brainwashed by TV and it's cut throat competitions feed our entertainments needs through our animal instincts.

Overall, this show is not half as bad as everyone was making it out to be. Will I watch it faithfully? Probably not, I actually don't watch TV. I catch shows here and there but my main interest is anime. I will watch the second episode though because I think... I think pilot episodes are kinda hit and miss.

Orange Is The New Black | REVIEW

What an awesome show!

I finished Orange is the new Black (OITNB) last week and, let me just say it now: Phenomenal.

At first glance: Ugh... Well, it's something to do when I'm bored.
Upon hearing that it was created by the makers of Weeds: Whoa, whoa... hey, HEY! Fucking Weeds producer? Ayooooooo, I'm watching this shit dudeeeeeeeeeeee
First Episode: Eh... slow start but I'm gonna keep watching.
Last Episode: *Jaw drop/Cries* When is moar coming? Is there MOAR? Is there a book? Season 2?!

Yea. It was that serious.

Anywho... here's my review [ Possible Spoilers Ahead... not really ]

STORY

This show revolves around Piper Chapman, a middle class white woman from Connecticut who lives in New York City with her fiance, Larry. All is normal until she gets thrown into a Litchfield, NY federal prison. Why? Well... 10 years prior to her almost tamed lifestyle, she was a young, experimental, lesbian who, out of love for her former girlfriend, Alex, transported a suitcase full of drug money internationally - how's that for a wild past? Sentenced to 15 months; this show is mostly the trials and tribulations Piper endures while trying to find her place and adjust to the prison life which, to her surprise, puts a stress on her friends, family, and fellow inmates alike.


CHARACTERS

I'm only mentioning the "Main Characters" IMO

Piper Chapman - Don't let her innocent face and culture shock as she enters the penal system fool ya.
Alex Vause - The tall, dark, and sexy reason Piper is even in this fucked up mess.
Larry Bloom - Classic "nice guy", struggling writer, and Piper's fiance. Trust me when I say that Nice Guy's have a Breaking Point.
Sam Healy - Correctional Officer and Counselor who manages Piper's case. Passive Aggressive & annoying. He has the biggest fucking chip on his shoulder when it comes to lesbians but I think I know why...
Galina 'Red' Reznikov - The most brutal Russian woman you will come across. Head of kitchen but most importantly: She basically controls the entire prison right underneath the prison guards

All of these characters, including the side characters that I haven't mentioned, feel real and developed. They all have a story with arcs and a motivation that drives them beyond the prison walls.

THE QUALITY 
Length - I appreciate each episode being a full hour of nonstop storytelling without the interruption of stupid ass advertisements or commercials [cough, cough - how it would have been if Hulu was the host]. I didn't feel like I was left hanging at the end of each episode, but I still felt like I was left at a point where I was curious enough and entertained enough to go forward.

Setting - Despite being a show about prison, I like how they didn't have the entire show stuck inside of a box. They explored each part of the prison and how each of these little places tied into the story from the cafeteria, to their rooms, closets [both a place of love and despair] and even hidden places in the fields. Also, they demonstrated how the outside world was changing no matter how static it was for Piper. The stages of her best friend's pregnancy, the seasonal changes/wardrobe changes, each holiday and how it was for her inside versus her family and friends on the outside. They even showed the outside world through flashbacks that demonstrated how some of the girls became incarcerated.

Element of Surprise - There are many scenes in this show that just leave you with your jaw on the floor because it escalates so quickly and unexpectedly but it fits; it's not like they just insert some random bullshit to make it interesting, no. There is a build up to each moment where you think they are gonna take it "there" but boy, do they take it there and push the limits. Half the time I feel like I'm watching something on HBO (it gets that real). Also, I was pretty shocked by the amount of diversity that's packed into this show. Gay, Straight, Transgendered, White, Black, Latina, Old, Yound, Hillbilly, Middle-Class - there's something for everybody to relate to.

Music - I don't know who the hell picks their opening music but "You've Got Time" by Regina Spektor is about as addicting as Weeds opening music, "Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds

OVERALL
I thourouly enjoyed this show. I felt extremely connected to the characters. There were times when I'd be sitting around with my family and watching this with headphones on speaking to my tablet or bursting out with laughter. There was even a few times when I cried real tears because I could feel the terror, disappointment, or shear sorrow of an inmate. Not only does this show tell the story of Piper Chapman, but it gives an interesting insight and background to the side characters, making them more than just a TV show extra. There is some seriousness and drama with a sprinkle of violence but there is also heartfelt, emotional moments with the perfect dose of comedy. Above all - it's REAL. You have people of all different races and walks of life shoved into one place, forced to coexist - homosexuality, racism, and even officers abusing their power are shown. To top it all of, this show has some recognizable faces in the cast! 

I completely recommend this.

You should watch this show if you like: Oz, Lost, or Law & Order: SVU... also Weeds.
A second season was confirmed on June 27, 2013 and is currently in production.
Fun Fact: This show is based off the memoirs of Piper Kerman under the same title.

Click the pic!